Derek flipped the page with his left hand as he jotted down the main points of the quote with his right. The book only told more about how the researchers had found the information and some tales of the other Pokémon that he already knew about, so he closed it and looked up from the desk he was at.
He was in the study on the third floor, a whole floor devoted to a library of books. It wasn't massive, if you wanted to compare it to a public library, but the documents residing here were precious and rare. Besides, it was still a huge space, what with the dimensions of the Risque manor.
Derek pushed in the wooden chair that he had been sitting in and cracked his neck nonchalantly. He was beginning to get tired, and he had already assembled a stack of books on the wooden desk, but still he returned to the rows of bookshelves.
His eyes searched the books and their titles methodically. His parents had apparently arranged the books to follow a certain theme, which was disgustingly helpful. The books near the back, on a bookshelf with the words "Myths and Legends"engraved in the side, contained the material he had been using, and it was there that he searched.
Seeing the word Rune, he turned, only to find that it was titled Rune Blade; A Myth or Reality? He nearly reached for it, as the term had been used in the book Legendary Legacy, but he turned away. There would be other occasions to read it, he told himself, and resumed his search.
What he was searching for was a book on Plates, or the Rune Tablets as Legendary Legacy chose to call them. While Derek knew the basic information, such as that there were sixteen for each type (excluding Normal) and that they were apparently the shards of the shattered universe, he wanted to know more in-depth details.
A few moments later, he found exactly what he had been looking for. He noticed an unusually thick book and took it out of the shelf, only to find it was closed over another book. As he pulled out the book, he read its title, immediately smiling to himself at his success: Power of the Runes.
With the book, he rushed back to his desk and instantly began reading, leafing through the pages as quickly as he could without ripping them. It was a rather old book, made of string-bound papers with inky writing. The papers themselves were rough and delicate, and Derek knew that it would tear if he wasn't careful with it. It was with extremely contained delight that he (silently) cheered as the book contained all the information he could have wanted.
He flipped to a page at random, near the middle, unable to sit down and read from the beginning.
'...was alone in the universe before It created the world. It used Its unlimited power to bend Time, Space, and Negativity to Its will. These creatures have been come to be known as Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, the three universal rulers of life.
'While evidence shows that it is physically impossible for the world to have been created out of nothing, this can be explained by Arceus' vast reserves of power. It was capable of shattering the abyssal universe when It came into being and form a whole new one through Its powers alone. Furthermore, when It created the three rulers, It may have split its own power into them, weakening Itself as a result. It then proceeded to create the Trio of Spirit before succumbing to weakness and locking Itself away for eternity.
'It is said that the Plates are the shattered remains of the universe that came before us. While several have been seen and taken into care by officials of the government, only one has writing on it. What it says is impossible to decipher, however; the language is one not yet comprehended.
'However, it is assumed that there are more Plates out there and that there is a story told by the correct Plates. If one gathers all the Plates, which is near impossible due to no one knowing the exact number of Plates, it is likely that there will be a hidden message revealed. The above mentioned Plate has now since been identified as a Flame Plate, and it is capable of raising the physical capacities of a Fire-type Pokémon.
'Studies indicate that there are Plates for each elemental typing. The Flame Plate is but one of many. It is theorized that these Plates contain an infinite amount of power, though this cannot be certified. The less common belief is that these Plates enable the user to comprehend nature and the flow of energy and thus take into oneself extra power to boost one's attacks.
'The second belief has been proven to be slightly more convincing than the first, however. Gym Leaders that govern an area have been tested through the usage of a Plate. The individual must pass certain tests before being proposed with one of each of the Plates before they are accepted. It is said that a certain Plate will react with a person.
'It is thus possible to say that humans, too, have certain "types," and the government has decided to move these Gym Leaders into Gyms matching this "type." This typing may be linked to Aura, another topic of controversy. One of the most famous "Aura-users" of all-time and called the Hero of the Wave, Sir Aaron, was said to have believed that all living things have Aura, and that humans simply have lost the old ways of using it.
'The Plates are, unmistakably, power amplifiers, and it is presumed that Arceus has locked away an original set with Itself in Its solitary prison. No one has been able to find this hidden chamber, however, and it is heavily doubtful that we ever will. Thus, many mock those believing that Arceus, or that such a place, exists.
'The Rune Blade, a fabled sword capable of controlling the powers of the Plates, is a legend that has been passed down by many. It is now considered a simple children's story rather than an actual thing, but the blade itself may in fact exist. There are several occasions in history where it has been stated to be owned by an individual, but these cases faded out several decades ago, and the Rune Blade is nowhere to be found.
'One particular example of the Rune Blade is—'
"Derek, you in here?" Aliana's voice called out, making the boy jump. His right hand jerked and caused the pencil to slide across the paper he had been writing on until it snapped from the pressure. He looked up with a slightly annoyed expression, yet she simply smiled back. "Ah, there you are."
"Yo." He dropped the pencil. "What brings you up here?"
"I had a bit of a talk with mother," she said simply as she walked in from the door. She still had bed hair, and her home clothes were almost suggestively loose. He frowned at his sister's lack of modesty. "Anyway, she's clear out of the kitchen, so why don't you have some proper food for once? I'll cook."
"I was going to accept until I heard that last part," Derek said, scowling. It had already been two days since she'd gotten home, and he'd already experienced more than enough food poisoning. "You're a horrible cook, Aliana, and I don't want a stomachache."
"Oh, how rude! I'll prove to you..." She paused, her golden eyes reflected the papers and books he had gathered. "Are these all on the Plates?"
"Most of them are unrelated. This," he said, holding up the book in his left hand, "though, is really useful."
"Eh, is that so?" Aliana said, smiling. She leaned forward and patted her brother on the head, though he slapped her hand away. Her smile simply widened at his reaction. "Still, though, you should eat first. I made pancakes, so you won't die if you eat them."
"Even you can't mess up pancakes?"
"Even I can't mess up pancakes. Don't worry, we've got lots of butter, maple syrup, and milk for ya."
"All right," Derek said, finally returning the smile. He stood up and placed a bookmark in the book he had been reading from, promising himself to return later. It was one of the first times he had ever been interested in doing studying himself. "Then let's go eat, shall we?"